


Agony and Ire

by TimmyJaybird



Series: Wish I Had An Angel [11]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Angst, Emotional Trauma, Gore, M/M, discussion of past rape, extreme violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-26
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-29 06:02:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6362458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimmyJaybird/pseuds/TimmyJaybird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There comes a time when conflict is inevitable- when demons and nightmares need to be faced. But only a long night can tell if Jason, Dick, and their family will come out on the other side in one piece- or if there's some damage that is simply irreversible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Agony and Ire

**Author's Note:**

> So, I was honestly tempted to rate this _explicit_ due to the amount of violence and gore- but I've been in fandoms before where you get chewed out if an explicit fic doesn't have sex... so, I left it at mature. Just be advised. This isn't pretty.

“Just stick _close_ ,” Jason said, glancing down at Vanni, as Dick dropped down behind them. Ahead, Bruce and Damian were already moving through the sewers. “No matter _what_ , okay?”

Vanni nodded. He looked so much like the child Dick had brought home, what felt like an _eternity_ ago. They’d pieced together a suit for him from what they had in the cave- Damian’s old thick Robin leggings he’d outgrown, one of Tim’s under armor shirts. Belts to hold things together- and an old mask that Jason didn’t even _ask_ about. It latched over the lower half of his face, covered his nose and mouth, left his eyes free. It seemed a better fit than trying to mask his eyes- not when Vanni spoke so little.

He looked _terrifying_ , except that when he glanced up at Jason it was with those big dark eyes, and Jason just melted. He wanted to shove him back up into the streets. He wanted to send him _home_.

He didn’t want to see another kid willingly putting themselves on the line, like this.

“ _Todd_ , will you three hurry up?” It was Damian, over the comlink. Jason frowned, began moving in quick, long strides, Vanni and Dick racing to keep up.

It had taken the majority of the day for Vanni to pinpoint and map out what he knew, for Bruce. The kid had sat at the computer with the man, pointing to places, dragging paths with his finger- trying his best to find words to _explain_.

Jason was proud of him, for it.

But that didn’t mean he wanted him _here_.

He caught sight of Bruce and Damian, just ahead. He’s forgone his helmet in favor of a mask this time, but he almost regretted it. They’d all need about _ten_ showers after all of this.

“The tunnel forks up ahead.” Bruce, over the com. “Damian and I will go left, you three- right. Remember, we don’t know what we’re walking into. Stay sharp.”

“Loud and clear, cap’n,” Dick said, and god, _he sounded so at ease_. Jason didn’t know how he managed.

There was a _click_ over the comlink- Vanni, agreeing. Bruce had wired him a special piece, so that he didn’t need to speak- he could tap it once for a single click, a _yes_ , or twice for two clicks, a _no_.

They all paused at the fork, giving nods of silent _good luck_. Damian made a point to grin at Vanni. “See you on the other side,” he said, and Jason had the strange feeling Vanni was smiling, behind his mask.

He smiled a lot at Damian- but god _that_ was something he’d think about, worry about, another time.

They split, Jason taking point and leading, keeping Vanni safely between he and Dick. Didn’t matter that he knew the kid could handle himself- he was their _son_ and like _hell_ was he not going to be protective. The tunnels felt like they all bled together, but Jason had the map, in his head. Another left, a right- and they were climbing up, into a sub-basement that, according to the city, _didn’t exist_. Jason got his feet on the concrete, turned and reached down, pulling Vanni up with ease. Once the kid was settled, he held his hand down to Dick, pulled him up the last few steps.

The room was small, dark. Felt lifeless. But it was simply part of a plan that Vanni had worked out for them- it connected to an intricate number of tunnels and sub-basements throughout the city. This was underneath the city library- of all the damn places- and Vanni had, with much signing and some broken sentences, explained that when he was sent out and not released into the sky, he was released _below_.

Here.

So it all _had_ to connect.

Jason moved to the door, drew a gun and held it tightly. He threw it open, stepping out- but there was _nothing_. Nothing but a long hallway, stretching away from them, another two small forks.

“Where to?” Jason asked, glancing back as Dick and Vanni made their way out. Vanni pointed down the long stretch of hallway, before point to the other two, began signing quickly. Jason watched, squinted, and _damn_ the kid was getting so fast at this, he could barely keep up. “One leads up,” Jason said, and Vanni nodded, “and the other?”

Vanni lifted his arm, smacked the bracer on his forearm, before tugging at his suit.

“Small armory?” Vanni nodded. Jason glanced at Dick, before he jerked his head towards it. “Check it out?”

“Got it little wing,” Dick said, “you two go on ahead. I’ll catch up.”Jason nodded, watched him turn, before heading down the large hallway. Vanni stayed close, glancing about- and Jason could only _wonder_ what he was feeling, what was going through his head.

Could only wonder what he’d be like, when they came out of this.

Jason swore his steps echoed, like the building was a shell, the hallway part of a hollow vein- and it was eerie, but it made him cocky. He moved faster, rounded a corner, before suddenly there were hands on his wrist, tugging, forcing him to stop. He was jerked back slightly- and in that motion, was reminded that Vanni was _small_ , but there was _power_ in that little body.

“What?” He asked, glancing down at him. Vanniy pointed to the floor- and there was the smallest dip, in one of the tiles. Jason smiled, reached over to ruffle his hair- careful to not tug it free from its braid. So that it would remain out of his face. “Good call.” He reached up, pressed his comlink, “Red Hood to everyone- watch your steps. We’ve got security, not sure if it’s live or not yet.”

“Are you in?” It was Bruce.

“Affirmative. Nightwing is checking something out, I’ve got the owl with me. Not there yet?”

“There is more tunnel length that Robin and I expected. We may be delayed. Proceed as planned.” Jason nodded, turned to Vanni- and did something a part of him truly did not want to.

He gestured for him to take point.

“Lead the way,” he said, and Vanni nodded, turning and stepping in front of his dad. He moved very _quickly_ , and Jason made a point to follow his steps only. He didn’t touch the wall- he noticed Vanni was making a point to not. He side stepped when Vanni did, paused when he did, as if Vanni was unlocking these memories.

He didn’t want to ask how many times he had walked this hallway.

“Nightwing,” Jason said, pressing his comlink, when they turned another corner. This was better scenery than the sewers, but he was quickly realizing it was the same damn thing- just an endless path leading to _somewhere_. “We’re getting fairly far along. Are you alright?”

He got nothing, and Jason paused. He snapped his fingers, and Vanni paused as well, glancing back.

He didn’t _like_ getting silence from Dick.

Jason glanced around, thought over his options. He could double back, make sure Dick was alright- he thought he could see some of the spots Vanni had avoided- but he didn’t want to leave him _alone_.

On the other hand, he didn’t want to drag him with him, should Dick be in trouble.

He never had to make the decision, however- because there was suddenly a loud _blast_ , and down the curve of the hallway, Dick went flying into the wall. He smacked into it with a groan, and Jason was _moving_ without thinking, jumping over one of the spots Vanni had avoided, drawing his gun and turning just in time to see tiles busted on the floor.

Dick must’ve set off one of the traps.

“You alright?” Jason asked, holstering his gun and crouching down. He offered his boyfriend his hand, and Dick took it, shaking his head, his ears ringing.

“Yeah. Lucky I’m light on my feet.”

“I tried your comlink. Why didn’t you respond?”

“Couldn’t _hear_ you. You went in and out. Not sure if it’s my piece or the reception down here. Anyway,” he grasped Jason’s hand, let his boyfriend pull him up. “Armory was completely empty.” He rolled his head, arched to crack his back, before grinning. “Good to go.”

“Watch your step,” Jason said, taking the lead, heading back for Vanni. “Who knows if these are just going to trigger because you set one off.” They reached the kid, who turned quickly, heading down the next hallway. There was a door at the end of it, and when they reached it Jason tried to handle. It didn’t budge, and Vanni shrugged a shoulder- he didn’t know how to unlock it.

Jason took a deep breath, before lifting his leg, kicking it switchly. The hinges groaned, and he kicked again- on the third try, one gave, and he shifted to bashing his shoulder into it. When it opened he spilled into the room, stumbling down onto one knee- and Dick was right behind him, to cover-

It was nothing but a large, dark, open room.

“This place is a ghost town,” Dick said, straightening up, as Jason stood up. Vanni moved around them, walking the perimeter, looking around. “And something tells me it’s a _recent_ ghost town.”

Jason sighed, reached up for his comlink. “Bats, Robin, are you in yet? We’re in a damn ghost town.” He got nothing, and Jason frowned. “Fuck. I think the comlink is out.” Dick nodded, just as there was a sudden loud rumbling-

And, Jason swore, the ceiling was _opening_.

“What the hell!” He yelled, taking a step back- before he realized Vanni was on the opposite side of the room. Dick must have realized at the same time, because he was yelling _Vanni_ , as Jason bolted, trying to beat the wall.

He knew he wouldn’t. He _knew_. But he didn’t care. He had to _try_.

He had to pull back, as it slammed down onto the floor, and he smashed into it- and the mesh covering it, sparked and bit into his jacket, filled him with burning fireflies as he shouted, fell backwards. He heard Dick running, but for a moment all he saw was black, before his eyes could focus.

“Babe,” Dick said, getting down on one knee just behind him, grasping his shoulders and helping him to sit up. “Are you alright?”

“Electrified,” he mumbled. His chest _ached_ now. “Fuck, this place might be a ghost town, but security is tight. How the fuck did this get triggered?” Dick shrugged, and Jason yelled, “Vanni! Can you hear me?”

There was a _click_ over the link.

“Okay. Sit tight, we’re going to get to you. Just… just don’t move.” Dick helped him stand up, and Jason added, “and do _not_ touch that.”

Another _click_.

Jason glanced around the room. They were on the side with their entrance door- and there was one more. He looked at Dick, who shrugged a shoulder.

“The map Vanni helped Bruce come up with basically showed just an endless mingling of tunnels. It all connects.” Jason nodded, and hate it as much as he did-

“We’re going to move on,” he said, holding his comlink, though he figured Vanni could hear him through the wall. “We’ll loop around for you, okay little wing? You do _not_ move.” He got no response, and Jason added, “we’re not leaving you, junior. We’re coming back.”

He got a _click_ , and Jason looked at Dick, who nodded, despite the pained look on his face as well. He didn’t like it either. But they had little choice but to move to the door, kick it open, and continue into the labyrinth.

*

Vanni examined the wall, as he heard his dads exiting, on the other side. He knew better than to touch it- he knew the look of the electrified mesh the Court used. He’d been zapped by it a number of times, when he tried to touch things he shouldn’t. He inclined his head, following the wall all the way up to the ceiling.

Good as he was, no way to scale it without getting shocked, and it was fitted too well into the ceiling. No way to get over it. He turned on his heel, studied what was left of the room around him. He had the majority of the large room, remembered when they would mass up the talons they were sending out, in this room. Give them _instructions_.

The Court was, at this point, well beyond having only a handful of young talons. They had _masses_ now, who would someday feed their undead army of assassins- so long as they didn’t perish before they were properly trained and proven.

He sucked on his tongue, looked at the door left on his side. He’d come through it, most days. He _knew_ that route. And, yes, Jason had said to _stay_ , but staying made him feel useless, helpless-

And, he had promised himself, never again. Never again would he be helpless.

He took a breath, before he strode for the door. He grasped it- found it unlocked, and pushed it open. The hallway behind it was dark, the lights out. He advanced in- sure of his feet. There was no reason for this hallway to be trapped- the only reason the other was, for the times that the Court chose to _vacate_.

He had gotten that feeling, simply stepping into these old tunnels, that this was the case. They had _left_. Moved on to other compounds, other secret rooms buried deep within Gotham. Rooms he _didn’t_ know.

He moved quickly, turning a corner and pushing another door open. The power was out in this wing, and left the door’s security not working- thankfully. He had no idea how to unlock them otherwise. He spilled into another hallway, this one lined with doors-

And had to pause, to inhale slowly. These rooms he _knew_. Most of them opened into into larger rooms, where multiple _talons in training_ could be held. Where they _usual_ fresh blood went. 

Where he had never been.

Vanni turned away from them, heading down the hallway, pushing open another door- and within in, finding three barred off cells. Like old times, for verment, _criminals_.

_Home_.

He moved to the middle one, ran his gloves hands up along the old metal. He inhaled- and god, it smelled the same as he remembered. The same damp dust, the rust on the bars, the wet fabric from the cot that was always cold. He could see it, knew the smell of mold from it’s depths, if his face was pressed into it. Remembered how the freezing concrete floor smelled like dust when he slept there, most nights.

He pushed the door open, strode in. He was staring at the cot, his dark eyes having gone narrowed. And so many nights flashed before his eyes-

His face pressed into it as he shook, his back _bleeding_ from open wounds. The smell of blood heavy, as it rolled down his sides, stained the cot. The feeling of disgust, deep in his skin- touches he had never asked for, never _wanted_ , the knot in his belly from hot breath in his ear. Those _ugly-pretty_ comments he’d gotten.

Or the nights where he lay on his back, the dirt and blood from a night well spent still caked on his hands, under his fingernails. The feeling of freezing fingers as he dragged them over his cheeks, just wanting to feel something other than the strange electric buzz of adrenaline in his body, the strange tightness in his muscles, the shortness of breath and the urge to writhe against _something_.

Vanni gritted his teeth, ran towards the cot. He pulled one of the small knives strapped to his chest free, stabbed it down into the flimsy thing, and held it with both hands, one foot bracing against the rested frame as he dragged it along its entire length- gutting it, as if he could gut everyone who had ever hurt him. He growled, the sound muffled behind his mask, stabbed into it again, dragged the blade a second time- then, a third. Kept going until the molding, disgusting stuffing was littering the floor, the springs from beneath it exposed. He sheathed his knife, grabbed the remnants of the cot and lifted it, chucking it against the bars of the cage.

He let himself feel _angry_ , truly angry, for the first time. Let himself _hate_ those who had wanted to turn him into a mindless drone, a creature of blood and violence and _nothing more_. He kicked at the bed frame, kicked and kicked and _kicked_ until it clattered against the bars of the cage. The impact of metal on metal rang loudly, and Vanni wished he could tear it apart, piece by piece. Tear it apart and somehow tear apart every moment of agony he’d ever experienced, being caged like an _animal_.

That was all he was ever meant to be. A glorified attack dog. A goddamn hellhound. A wolf whose teeth they plucked out, each night- only to dig fresh ones, into his gums, when they were ready to _use_ him.

_He wouldn’t be used again_.

He gave a wordless shout, tossed his head back, before he grasped at the bed frame- the old metal heavy, but his anger let him chuck it up, swing it and crash it against the bars again. He would tear every bit of this compound down, piece by bloody piece. He wouldn’t give the Court even a scrap of metal to come back to, one day.

He was panting, staring down at the metal. It had come apart due to his anger, to the amount of rust. He inhaled, slowly, tipped his head back- 

And that was when he heard it. The sound of feet- light as a feather but still _weighted_. Vanni spun on his heels, bracing himself as a body filled the doorway, looking at him behind brass rimmed goggles he remembered.

Knew the way they bit into skin, if worn too long.

He bared his teeth, despite his mask hiding it. The other talon moved quickly, into the room and Vanni’s cell and had a hand in his shirt, shoving him up and back, against the bars. His feet lifted off the ground, as the talon inclined its head, studied him.

This close, Vanni could smell the wet dirt, the formaldehyde. The chemicals pumped into this beast to let it live again, for a time. The scent that had always made his stomach roll- because, if he was good enough, he’d become this, one day.

He lurched forward, smacked his head into the creature’s forehead. He couldn’t think of it as a man- it had given that status up when it came back to life. The talon released him, stumbled back a step, and Vanni reached down, grasped at one of the rested metal legs from the bed frame that had come apart. He gripped it between both his hands, swung at the talon as it crouched down, plucked a throwing knife from it’s vest and tossed it. It stuck into Vanni’s shoulder- and he gritted his teeth, ignored it, _left it sticking out of him_ , as he swung the metal, smacked the talon right in the head. It fell off balance, to its side, and Vanni lifted it high, smashed down into the talon’s side with all his weight.

He heard it groan, before he stepped back, reached up and pulled the short blade out, chucking it onto the floor.

He wanted to scream at it that it didn’t know who he was. He was the gray son reborn. He was the Court’s future. He was going to be their _undoing_.

He was _better than the filth they would throw at him_.

He felt a rush to his head, over the scent of blood from his shoulder. Felt a cockiness in his gut he only ever boasted when he was _violent_. He stared down at the talon, before it suddenly turned, grabbed his ankle and dragged him down. He hit the floor hard, groaning as it crawled over him, grabbed at his head, ready to beat the back of his skull until it shattered.

He didn’t think.

He grasped the rusted metal and shoved it up, straight through the creature’s gut. It broke through, through it’s back, and Vanni could see behind the goggles as it’s eyes went wide. The hold on his head released, and Vanni shoved the dying talon off him, to huddle on the floor. He pushed himself up, stared at it- before it ceased to move, and he knew it was gone.

For the better. It was no life, to come back as a mindless dog.

He took a moment to take a breath again, felt his hand shaking. He hadn’t taken a life since finding home- had barely experienced the rush at all that fighting had always given him. And it felt too _good_ , this rush. He took another steadying breath, focused on something aside of the sweet adrenaline- focused on the knot forming in his gut.

The Court _knew_. That would explain the security going off, those traps. Vanni didn’t know how they knew- but they had eyes everywhere, and he couldn’t be shocked. But if they knew, if they were releasing the talons-

He needed to find his dads. Needed to find Bruce and Damian. Needed to _warn_ them.

Because if the Court was furious with him, hell hath no fury like their army of risen talons. It had no fury like their pompous scorned egos- because one of their dogs was daring to bite back.

Vanni turned quickly, left the mess behind. Ignored the sting in his shoulder, as he let himself out into the hallway, tried to work through a mental map of the underground compound in his head. He had only silence on his comlink, and even if he _could_ reach someone, he wasn’t sure, in that moment, he could make himself form words.

There was only his body to speak with, and they couldn’t _see_ him, for what he truly was in that moment.

Agony and ire incarnate. A broken child who could finally see just how much he had been shattered, how many slivers of his life had been plucked away.

One that was out for blood, was ready to rip out the Court’s throat with his teeth, if they dared to tie his hands again.

*

“God, look at all this.” Dick spoke as he stared up at the wall of computers, the large screens and sleeping drives. Jason was a few feet from him, digging through stacks of what looked like paper records- looking for blueprints, Dick knew.

Dick leaned his hands on the counter, wondering if anything worked. The compound was obviously abandoned- and he could only come to the conclusion that the Court was trying to cover their tracks- had been why there had been a talon tailing Jason.

They had to eliminate Vanni, as well.

He reached up, pressed a button by one of the screens. There was still power where they were- he couldn’t be sure it was true for the entire run of tunnels and rooms- but here at least, they had light. And, to his shock, the computer came to life.

He hummed, reached for the mouse- stared at the screen as it asked for clearance.

“Jay, c’mere.” Jason grunted, and when he didn’t come Dick said louder, “This is important.” He heard his boyfriend huff, before he dropped whatever he was looking at, walking over and pressing a hand to his back, leaning in. “These are still operational.”

“They would have wiped them clean.”

“Worth a shot. We just have to get in.”

Jason frowned. “We have to get to _Vanni_.” Dick sighed, glanced over at his boyfriend.

“Jason, I know you’re worried. Don’t think I’m not out of my skin- but he’s not helpless. We can’t treat him like he is. You’re the one that got edgy with me when I talked down to him. He’s going to be okay. We’re here- let’s not waste this opportunity.” He held his hand out, and Jason said nothing, reaching for his belt, pulling a small device, the size of a phone, from it. He passed it to Dick, who connected it to the computer, opening their password running software.

He could do it manually, if he needed to- but he hoped the program would ping the required characters. Tim had programed it himself, which meant Dick was damn near _sure_ it’d do the work for him.

But if it didn’t, he didn’t doubt he or Jason’s own skills would get them in.

It took a minute- and by then, Jason was back to sifting through old paperwork. Dick looked over the drives- found the empty, as Jason had suspected.

He grasped their small hand held, swiping through the programs on it, before he clicked on one, smirking. If it worked, it would at least be able to restore anything deleted within the past sixty days-

And just like that, a window appeared on one of the main screens, began listing off filenames and extensions, as they were restored.

“Yes!” Dick said, just as he heard Jason swiping everything off a table the small table in front of him. Books and folders clattered to the floor, as Dick turned, watched him unroll what looked like ancient blueprints.

“Jackpot,” Jason said, tapping his finger on it. “We were here- and followed this labyrinth to-” he traced, gave a heavy tap again, “ _here_. If we go out that door,” he pointed towards one at the far end of the room, “and follow the loop, we should eventually end up back where we came from. We’ll have to pass some labs- some large room, I can’t make out what it is- _chambers_ too? But eventually, we’ll get back to Vanni.” He turned back towards Dick, who shared his grin.

“And _I’ve_ got everything they deleted being restored. I can get it copied to our hand held- and even if the Court isn’t _here_ , well have everything they once left. The mission won’t be a waste of time.” Jason turned, took the few steps to Dick, grasped his face in his hands and pulled him in, kissed him sweetly.

“I love when you use that brain of yours,” he whispered, “how long will it take?”

Dick glanced back. “Maybe fifteen minutes? And then,” he reached out, grasped at Jason’s jacket, “we’ll make our way back to our kid and get the fuck out of here. Hopefully Bruce and Damian are alright.”

“I’m sure they’re fine. They’re _Batman and Robin_ after all.” Jason pulled back, “probably _bored_ without something to hit.”

Dick laughed- but the sound abruptly died when they heard movement, outside the door. Jason turned, drew both his guns quickly, as Dick braced himself- left his escrima sticks on his back, for the moment.

The movement ceased, and for a few breaths, there was silence. Silence and their own breathing and pulses- and then the door was being kicked in, an inky blurr throwing itself inside. It landed on Dick, shoved them both to the ground, and Dick arched as his shoulders dug into it.

Jason would’ve turned, would’ve kicked it off Dick- but there was one for him too, a swift punch to his jaw, and he _recognized_ the movements.

Talons.

“They know!” Jason yelled, bashing his gun down into the talon’s face, forcing her to step back. It shoved her scarf down- exposed the same pox-like ridden skin, the same disgusting pallor and destroyed lips. “They’re not alive,” Jason said, raising one of his gun and not hesitating, putting a bullet right into her skull. “Lethal force.”

Dick growled, got his feet up and under his talon, threw him across the room. He pushed himself up, watched as Jason fired off three shots, into its gut- but it came anyway, bleeding a small waterfall down it’s body of blood that was too black, too thick- sludge like and reeking of chemicals and rancid bile.

Dick fisted his hands, held his balance as he got his foot up, kicked it right in the head, forced it down to the ground. Jason stomped on it’s neck, crushed its windpipe and dug his boot against its spine, could _hear_ the bone grinding.

“We have to go,” Jason said, and Dick looked back at his hand held.

“I need twelve more minutes.”

The moment he said it, they heard more noise. _Lots_ of it. Jason cracked his neck, spreading his legs to brace himself.

“You get as much as I can give,” he said, “stay back and keep them from trashing the computers. I’ll hold them off.”

Dick nodded, hopping over one of the bodies crumpled on the floor, looking at the hand held. He couldn’t do anything to speed up the process- but he was unwilling to leave without this data now. It was too valuable, could open up a whole new world to them-

Maybe Bruce was showing in him, a little.

He heard Jason’s guns going off, turned and watched his perfect form. His aim was steady- Dick knew the only other person perhaps with better aim was _Roy_.

But with a gun? He wouldn’t want to be behind anyone more than Jason.

Dick glanced through the doorway, saw three figures were staggering, riddled with bullet holes- and Jason was suddenly flipping both his guns, holding them by their hot barrels and smashing them into the head of the first talon through the door. It screeched- and that sound would haunt Dick, for months. In his nightmares, he knew.

It was _inhuman_.

Jason got got his knee up under its ribs, turned and shove the butt of his gun into another talon’s jaw- but a third was grabbing him, shoving him down. He fell hard, guns falling from his hands- but his feet were up, digging into the third talon’s belly as he jerked it back, into the other two.

“How many are there?” Dick yelled, looking at down at his device. Nine minutes.

“A fuckton,” was all Jason said, before he was up, crouching, throwing himself around one’s legs and dragging it down. It went down hard, as another ran past him, and he was yelling _Dick!_. Dick spun, pulled one escrima stick free and smashed it into the thing’s skull, before shoving the stick beneath it’s jaw, tasing it. It jerked, before he kicked it down, back by Jason.

His boyfriend turned, pulled a knife from his thigh- and shoved it right into it’s throat.

“You need help,” Dick said, running forward, pulling free his second stick and driving them both into the crooks of a female talon’s shoulders. She reached up, grasped Dick by his forearms, dug her pointed gloves into his suit until it ripped, and then, into his skin. He grunted, smashed his head forward into hers- and his vision spun, but it was worth it, when she released him, the both of them stumbling back a few steps.

“You need to keep that information safe,” Jason countered, delivering a few good punches until one of the talons turned, and he was grabbing it, pulling it back- snapping it’s neck. It crumpled down to the floor at his feet.

“I am,” Dick offered, a swift kick to one’s gut. “And I’m keeping _you_ safe.” Another kick, a smack to the clavicle bone- and Jason was tearing free one of his other knives, stabbing it into it’s chest, shoving it back into another two. “Do they ever end?”

“Maybe not,” Jason said, sweat sticking to his spine, his hairline. “We’ve royally pissed someone off, wonder boy.”

Dick cracked his neck, offered a grin. “These are the kind of people I _like_ to piss off.” He threw one of his sticks, knocked a talon back, as Jason threw himself on one, dragged it down to the ground where he smashed it’s head into the pavement.

It felt good, in an eerie way, to let loose. To be able to not have to keep his body from taking that final step, to keep from pushing _just_ far enough. Dick could see it in Jason’s movements- the ease with which letting those parameters fall off came. He moved like a goddamn warhawk, and if Dick wasn’t so damn busy trying to stay alive, he’d be breathless.

Maybe he still was, a little.

“How long?” Jason asked, as he took a decent hit to his shoulder. He’d be riddled with bruises, after this. Dick fell back, glanced at the device, before he yelled,

“Ninety seconds!”

Jason nodded, pulled his _last_ knife free and shoved it into the gut of one of the talons. He twisted, before he shoved it back- just to have one more on him, digging at him with her sharpened gloves, tearing at his jackets and digging into his biceps, pulling down. Jason howled, narrowed his eyes- returned the favor by shoving his knife beneath her ribs, dragging it down her belly. The moment he pulled back, her insides opened up, spilled down her body, onto the floor. Jason grimaced at the slippery, inky mess.

She looked like she was rotting, from the inside out.

She crumpled down, and Jason was braced for another attack- but nothing came. He glanced around him, but he and Dick’s only company now were the corpses. The wave had ended.

Jason maneuvered over them, pulled the door shut, as if the barrier could help, as Dick was pulling their device free. “We’re in the clear,” he said, passing it to Jason, who secured it at his belt. Dick glanced at the claw marks on Jason’s arms. “You alright?”

“In one piece, hot stuff,” he said, stooping down to pick up one of his knives- the only one in the room. He wasn’t even _sure_ where his guns were. He shoved it back into it’s thigh sheath, before jerking his head towards the other door. “We need to go. We need to get our comlinks going and check on Bruce and Damian. _We need to get back to Vanni_.”

Dick nodded, following Jason towards the door- figuring now there was _nothing_ worth stopping for. Nothing more important than making sure Vanni was safe.

And Dick told himself he was. He told himself he had _listened_ , that he was sitting on the floor of that room just waiting for them to get back. He was safe and sound.

And somehow, he knew it was a lie. Maybe, because down in his twisting gut, he knew it was exactly what _he_ wouldn’t do.

*

Vanni spilled into a large room, glancing around. He recognized it, could remember being paraded here, behind all the other talons. Above him, was another level, set up like a balcony, where the Court members could look down at them, while they were shown like cattle, to be auctioned off.

Except the Court was simply _bemused_ by their state. Simply wanted to see humans turned animalistic, into numb-minded, questionless machines.

_Goddamn dogs_.

Vanni paused to catch his breath. His shoulder was burning, and the blood had soaked into the fabric around the room. On his torso, he could see stains from the talon who he had stabbed. He could _smell_ his rancid insides.

It made him want to vomit.

He heard footsteps, and gritted his teeth. He was still wound tight, still in that same mindset- was ready for a talon to leap down, from above. Was ready to face an army of them, _to prove himself_.

What he saw, instead, was a rush of yellow and black, a glimpse of red, and-

“ _Vanni_!”

Damian gripped the railing above him, peered over at him.

“You’re alright!”

Vanni relaxed, watched as Damian launched himself over the railing, landed firmly on the floor in front of him. The other teen moved to him quickly, reaching out to grasp at his shoulders-

And Vanni winced, jerking away. Damian’s glove came back blood smeared, and behind his mask, his eyes widened.

“You’re hurt.” Vanni lifted his hands, tried to sign, but they were shaking. He chose to brush at his shoulder, instead.

_Brush it off_.

He pointed to Damian then.

“Father and I were separated,” he admitted, “the security simply came to life. I have been able to contact no one for quite some time. Where are Todd and Grayson?” Vanni shrugged a shoulder, and Damian nodded. “Separated as well?” A nod. “Well, at least we are together now. You are sure you’re alright?”

Vanni nodded again. Then, form the corner of his eye, he saw something lifting itself, onto the railings above.

He threw himself at Damian, shoved him to the floor, as the talon leapt down at them, missed and stabbed it’s blade into the floor. Damian landed on his back, his breath rushing out, as Vanni straddled him, _covered him_ protectively. He turned, glared at the talon, who glanced at him from behind those goggles, with eyes that would be too white, milky and dead and _mindless_.

Vanni pushed himself up, moved while Damian yelled his name. He threw himself on the talon, dragged it to the ground, punched it’s jaw. It writhed, grabbed at his waist and lifted him, hurling him away. He rolled across the floor, gasping as he pushed himself up on his elbows, looking through his hair that was falling free.

Above them, around the railings, they were swarming. Countless eyes, staring down at them, bloodthirsty. Vanni stared, before turning, saw Damian was standing- was _smirking_.

“Is this all?” He asked, and the talon pushed itself up, charged at him. Damian side stepped easily, grasped it by the scarf around it’s neck and used his weight to turn it, force it to skid into the wall. Vanni turned back to Damian, before, behind his own mask, he smiled at stood up, moving over to him-

Pressing his back to Damian’s.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten anything they taught you,” Damian said, and Vanni reached back- took one of his hands and gave it a firm, quick squeeze, before letting go. Damian’s smile softened. “Are they alive?”

Vanni shook his head, and Damian’s grin was back.

“ _Perfect_.”

At that word, they began leaping down. Vanni fought the urge to charge- he let them come to him, got in low punches, to the gut and ribs, as a female talon tried to slice him, with her knife. He dodged, just as Damian shoved one talon back, tossing a throwing disk at it sticking right in it’s neck.

It dropped down.

Vanni got a punch up to her jaw, before he dropped down, swiped her feet out from beneath her. She stumbled, and Damian turned- tossed another disk-

It stuck, between her eyes. Vanni took the opportunity to press his boot to the back of her head, shove her face down until it pressed in _nice and tight_. He turned then, got a punch in, as another tried at him- but her blade sliced at his arm. He ignored it, shoving his whole body into her.

“There’s so many!” Damian yelled, struggling with two behind Vanni. Vanni glanced around- but god, _it was true_. They seemed endless, as if the Court had emptied their vaults-

All because of _him_.

Vanni dropped down, so the talon attacking him stumbled forward, turned just to see Damian struggling, grasping one’s talon’s wrists, as she tried to drive a blade straight into his throat. She had bulk, weight on him, was using it to her advantage, as the blade edged closer-

And then, suddenly, there was a heavy _drop_ from behind them, and _something_ was lifting her up, tossing her aside as if she was a damn toy. Vanni stared for a moment at the tall, bulky man- did not recognize him- and god, what had the Court created now that it turned on his own-

“-tt- took you long enough,” Damian said, turning to face the man- who, when he spoke, sounded far _younger_

“Sorry, I had to put my face on.” He grinned, just as he turned, his fist striking into an oncoming talon’s belly. The forced shoved it back a few steps.

“This is a friend!” Damian yelled, towards Vanni- who accepted it with a nod, could worry about it later. He turned, threw himself down and wrapped his arms around one talon’s legs, dragging him down with a loud thud. He was pushing himself up, crawling over him, as he heard Damian yell, “Abuse, fly me high!”

And just like that, the man was grabbing Damian, tossing him into the air. Damian turned mid flight, tossed out a few more of his throwing disks- all three landing true to their targets, causing three of the talons to stagger. Damian landed in a crouch, lifted his head just as the man- Abuse, Vanni could deduce- charged forward, knocked them back.

“Don’t hold back!” Damian was yelling, “they’re not alive!”

“They seem pretty alive to me,” he mused, and Vanni watched Damian huffed.

“Cut the sass and just _break them_!”

Vanni turned away, leaving them to it- trusted Damian with his back, and if Damian trusted this man, he would do. He focused on the two talons in front of him, each watching him, stepping around him slowly. They circled, and he flexed his fingers, felt his heart hammering up in his chest, his throat- pounding, in his skull. He felt alive and he could smell them as they piled up, remembered the scent so well and how he had always hated it.

He channeled that hate, as he let the first talon ram into him, drop him down to the floor. It’s scarf fell away and it hissed at him, yellowed and aged teeth and breath smelling like rotting meat, and Vanni bared his teeth, behind his mask, as he reached up, got his hands against it’s head, drove his thumbs into it’s goggles until they shattered. It screeched as the glass fell into it’s eyes, and Vanni shoved it off him, rolling just in time to dodge the other talon, driving down with two blades. They rang out against the ground as they his, and Vanni got her legs between his own, squeezed and jerked her forward. She fell, and he grabbed her knives, crawled up on her back and lifted them both high, driving them in and twisting, while she screeched.

He didn’t pause, hopped right off of her and moved to the other talon- now blind- who was clawing at his face, confused. They seemed to be reaching their breaking point- and Vanni wondered how long the Court had had them on standby.

He kicked it in the chest, so it fell onto his back, and dropped down, straddling his chest. He reached out, got his hands around the talon’s throat, and began squeezing- cut his air off. It thrashed, before going limp.

Vanni kept squeezing, for good measure. He was breathing heavily, leaning over it- could feel a sound trying to bubble up in his belly- couldn’t be sure if it was a laugh or a _scream_.

“ _Vanni_ , that’s enough.” There were hands on his shoulders, and he let Damian pull him back, let go of the talon’s throat. He glanced up, and the teen was looking at him, almost concerned.

A quick scan of the room showed it littered with bodies- and no more coming to replace them.

Damian offered his hand, pulled Vanni up, as the man, the newcomer, _Abuse_ , whistled. “A real fucking mess,” he said, placing his hands on his hips. “You always invite me to the best parties, Damian.” He glanced at them both, flashed this smile at Vanni that was completely sweet, didn’t match the room, the morbid littering within it- or his _size_ at all.

It was one Vanni swore he had seen.

“And who’s the cute girl? You keeping a girlfriend from me?”

Vanni watched Damian reach up, pinch the bridge of his nose. “ _This_ ,” he said, gesturing towards Vanni, “is Vanni. _He_ is a long story.”

Abuse blushed a little, and Vanni noticed he had freckles- had a shock of thick red hair. So much he had _missed_ in the heat of everything.

“Vanni,” Damian offered, “this is _Abuse_. Or, my idiot friend, Colin.” Colin grinned at that, and Vanni knew where he had seen that smile, then.

In Damian’s sketches. That same face, but smaller, less bulk to him- _younger_ looking. He wanted to question how they were the same, when they were so different- but the doors across the room were suddenly being thrown open, and he heard his name, being shouted.

Jason and Dick came into view, and Vanni felt a sudden wave of _relief_ washing over him. He wanted to run to them, had been worried about them-

But he never got the chance.

Because the moment they appeared, there was _another_ presence. The sound of a fist slamming into a wall, and suddenly from the ceiling dropped a netting- one that split the room in two-

And locked Vanni away from _everyone_ else.

“What the fuck!” Jason yelled, running faster towards it now. Colin moved, grasped the heavy wire netting, only to shake, his head snapping back. He stumbled back, a burn showing on his palm.

_Electrified_.

Vanni turned then, towards the opening to the room. Standing there was a large man, grinning at him from behind stubble and chapped lips. His fist was pressed tightly to an emergency button, which had dropped the barrier from the ceiling.

Installed, should any of the _trainees_ being shown off ever get out of hand.

The man was large, hulking. In his other hand, he was holding a large whip- heavy, thick leather, one that Vanni knew _intimately_.

“Who the _fuck_ is that?” Jason yelled, as he moved past Colin, grabbed at the mesh barrier. He stumbled back after only a moment, groaning- Vanni was sure his vision spinning. Dick braced him, as the man cracked the whip.

“You always were feisty,” he offered, studying Vanni- and _oh_ , Vanni felt his stomach nearly retching, over that voice. In his head, all he heard was _ugly-pretty_ , over and over again. He felt hot breath and hands on him and he wanted to tear his skin off.

“I’m the one,” the man boomed, “who showed this goddamn _god_ off. And frankly, the Court figured, the only one who could still get him to be _docile_.” He cracked the whip again. “C’mere boy. I know you know how to come.”

Vanni shuddered, poised his hands as if he was ready to dig his fingers into flesh. He heard Jason yell, the sound of him in _agony_ , and didn’t need to look back to see him grabbing at the mesh again.

“Always were bad at directions,” the man offered- and in Vanni’s head, everything was tuning out. The room was silent and there was just the rush of hi own blood- and he was seeing _red_.

He lunged, bolted across the room towards the man. The whip cracked down, and he jumped to the side, dodging it, just to get a punch into the man’s solid abdomen-

But the moment he did, a thick arm was swiping him aside, tossing him back, against the wall. He smacked his head, his vision swam, and for a moment, he heard the yelling- he heard Damian, shouting to hold on. He heard his name from Dick and Jason, he heard movement from Colin and the sound of a thick fist against the wall- as if he could punch in a gap, for one of them to fit.

Vanni stayed on the ground, stared up at the man- in his mind, nameless, only _the handler_ \- stalked over to him, loomed down.

“If that’s all you got,” he offered, “then the Court lost _nothing_.” He lifted his foot, ready to stomp onto Vanni’s chest, when Vanni shoved himself off the wall. He slid between the man’s legs, shoved himself up and spun around, freeing a blade from one of his chest sheathers, and stabbing it into his meaty back. The man seemed to roar, spinning around, his whip catching Vanni, forcing him to stumble back. But he didn’t lose his balance, and dodged the next crack of it, before he ran again, threw himself on the man and stabbed into his arm- then held onto the knife and used it as a handle, for leverage, to shove himself up. The man grunted, and Vanni got his legs around his neck, tugging with his own body weight to throw him off balance. The man stumbled, before he got a hand up, tugged at Vanni so hard he lost his balance. He chucked him down, and Vanni landed on his hands and knees, gasping into his mask as pain shot up through his knees.

“Maybe you need a reminder,” the man said, “of what happens when you don’t _stay down_.” He lifted his whip, and it _cracked_ against Vanni’s back, tearing past fabric to ignite against his scars.

Vanni jerked his head up, eyes wide.

Jason _screamed_.

He screamed that he’d _kill this motherfucker_ , and it was sinking in, to all of them that were aware, just who this man was. To Jason and Dick, just who had put all those scars on their son’s back.

Vanni pushed himself up, onto his knees, as the man stood behind him, leering. He pushed himself to his feet, turned around to stare up at him.

“You learn your lesson now? The Court’s _displeased_. They wanted you terminated- but you seem to have _improved_ a bit. They might reconsider, if we can condition you again into your proper place.”

Vanni narrowed his dark eyes, before he reached up, for the fastenings of his mask, behind his head. He pulled it free, throwing it aside-

And said in a voice that _didn’t sound like him_.

“I’m not their dog.” He lifted his chin. “I’d rather _die_.”

The man frowned. “You talk now, huh? Thought we got that outta you. Well.” He cracked his whip. “So be it.” He snapped the whip at Vanni, who rolled out of the way, pushed himself up, threw himself at the man again. A kick to his thigh, a fist up under his ribs- but he was reaching down, dropping his whip and grasping Vanni in both his large hands, lifting him up.

Behind Vanni, the noise was growing louder.

“You know, I’m not sure what I ever saw as _pretty_ in you,” the man offered, holding Vanni close as he squirmed. “You’re just an ugly _bitch_ like the rest of the failed crop.”

Vanni bared his teeth, snarled like an animal as he managed to reach out, tugging his knife out of the man’s arm. He jerked forward, stabbed it into his bulk, just below his ribs.

That got him a shout. The man dropped him, and Vanni held his knife tightly, let his body weight drag it down, as he fell. It thought through muscle, tissues, organs- came to a pause at the man’s pelvis, where Vanni left it, pulling his hands back, now smeared with blood.

The man stared down with wide eyes. Unbelieving, as if there had never been even a moment he had feared Vanni, never been even a fleeting thought that the boy he had abused in so many filthy ways might rise up and _gut him like the pig he was_.

Vanni stayed on his knees, watched the man stumble a step back, reaching down to clutch at his belly, trying to keep everything _inside_. But it was useless. They were spilling out around his hands, and a moment later he was crumpling down, pounding a fist into the floor as he spit up blood, before collapsing down, gasping for breath. His dying wheezes soaked into Vanni’s mind, began to replace memories of grunts and gasps, as the smell of his sweat was written over with the scent of his blood.

Vanni stayed on his knees, squeezed his fists shut and tipped his head back. The sound was bubbling in his belly again, up into his throat- and he opened his mouth to release it, felt the tickle of what had to be laughter, over his tongue.

But all he did was scream.

*

Dick drummed his fingers on the counter, his chin resting on his palm. His eyes were burning with exhaustion, and all he wanted to do was close them- but he forced himself to focus on the slowly loading bar, on the screen. Forced himself to stay awake.

“You’re exhausted.” It came from behind him. Dick forced himself to sit up, to turn his chair slowly. Jason hadn’t lifted his head, from where he sat, a few feet away. He was pushed up tight to a table, where Vanni was laid out- unconscious. He had been, since before they made it back to the cave.

Dick could still hear him screaming, in his head.

“So are you,” Dick offered, “so don’t even suggest I go to bed.” Jason finally lifted his head then, simply looked at him, before he looked back down at Vanni. He reached out, swiped some of the boy’s hair back, before taking his hand again- simply holding it.

He wasn’t gravely _hurt_ , at least. Alfred had had to stitch up the stab wound on his shoulder, wrap the cut on his arm- but beyond that and some serious bruising, he’d be alright. But _mentally_ -

Dick wasn’t even sure how the kid could be in one piece.

He turned his chair, facing the screen again. The Cave’s de-encryption program was working through the files he’d taken from the Court, but it had barely scratched the surface- and it was damn near five AM at this point. It’d take well into the morning before they were accessible.

“Dick?”

“Hmm?” Dick hummed, not looking back, as he moved the mouse, opening up one of the few files that had been unencrypted. There was a long pause, before Jason continued,

“Is he ever going to be okay?” Dick glanced over then. “After this?”

Dick drummed his fingers again. He couldn’t tell Jason what had been going through Vanni’s head- no one could except Vanni himself. But…

“All I know,” he said, pushing his chair back and standing up, turning to face them. “Is that he’s a strong kid. And I think someday, he’s going to be alright.” He walked over to the table, reached down and took Vanni’s other hand. “Maybe not right now. Maybe he’ll be okay for a day, and then he won’t. But… someday.”

“We shouldn’t have brought him,” Jason said, gritting his teeth. And Dick _knew_ that look-

He was blaming himself. He was blaming himself because Jason, he was sure, felt he hadn’t _fought enough_ to keep Vanni home. Blaming himself because Jason felt the _need_ to protect every kid he came across- especially those that stepped into their world. And that he was _not_ a fan of inviting kids into their nightmares.

“He agreed,” Dick said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. They had no clothes stored at the Manor, hadn’t gone back to Blüdhaven- and he and Jason were _both_ wearing Bruce’s pajamas. “He knew what he was going back to.”

“That doesn't mean we should have let him.” Jason rested his forehead in his palm, looked like he was in agony. “We’re his parents, Dick. He’s a _kid_. We… we’re supposed to protect him.”

Dick licked his lips. “He wasn’t helpless.”

“I never said he was-”

“You saw what he _did_.” Jason lifted his head then- and Dick simply held his stare.

“Yeah, I did,” Jason muttered, “and _that’s_ what bothers me. He _gutted_ a man, Dick. Not only did he mutilate and maim and army of goddamn undead talons, but he _gutted a living man_.”

“And you’re upset about it?”

“I’m upset over whatever made him feel the _need_ to.” Jason released Vanni’s hand, pushed his chair back and stood up. “He could have evaded him. He could have gotten back to that stupid security switch and disarmed the electric net. He _could have let us in_. But he _focused_ on that brute, instead. He chose to be locked in there with him.”

Dick shifted, glancing down at their son. “You’re thinking something?”

“We know whoever that man was, he’s the one that put those scars on Vanni’s back.” Dick nodded. It had been easily deduced, from his arrogant speech. “What if… what if he did _other_ things.”

Dick felt his throat closing up. He didn’t need Jason to specify- honestly, he didn’t _want_ him to.

“I hope the bastard rots,” Jason muttered, glancing down at Vanni. “I hope Vanni gets a little peace from it- closure.”

“Closure from killing a man isn’t healthy,” Dick mumbled- but god, his heart wasn’t in it. Because he didn’t _care_. He just wanted Vanni to be alright, too. He hoped he was able to put one more demon to rest, that night. Hoped it was a big one that left him feeling _light_ -

_Just god please let him be okay_.

“He could be out for the night. The day,” Dick offered, “Jason… get some sleep. I can stay with him. We both don’t need to.”

“We do,” Jason said. “We’re a family. We went into this together- we’ll pull out of it together.” Dick dared to smile, softly, and Jason echoed it. He could see the reason in it- and Dick wasn’t sure he cared how long it took, he’d wait. Alfred had said there was no real way to guess, it was simply mental _exhaustion_ -

And, as if he simply _knew_ , Vanni gave the smallest of groans then. Jason instantly looked down at him, and Dick watched the kid squirm a little, those near-black eyes fluttering open-

“Hey there little wing,” Jason whispered, reaching out to brush his hand along his cheek. “It’s good to see those pretty eyes again.” Vanni stared up at him, pushed himself up, and Jason braced him, got an arm around his shoulders. “Easy junior, you might feel a little light headed.”

“How do you feel?” Dick leaned closer, and Vanni turned, looked at him-

And just _stared_. Seemed not quite vacant, but as if there was a wall there, a barrier over his eyes. Dick glanced at Jason, and could see in his boyfriend’s eyes he saw it too.

“Kiddo,” Dick whispered, reaching out to gently get his hands on his biceps, “Vanni, can you hear me?” Vanni nodded, slowly, and Dick sighed. “Do you remember what happened?”

Another nod.

“Can you tell me how you’re feeling?”

That got him _nothing at all_.

“He might still be in shock,” Jason said, rubbing Vanni’s back slowly. “Honey, are you tired? Would you feel okay if we all went to bed?”

Vanni nodded at that, and turned, opened his arms and lifted them, facing Jason. Jason scooped him up, and Vanni’s legs locked around him, as he clung to him, pressed his face into his neck. Seemed so much smaller, like a tiny child- not a _teenager_.

“I’ve got you,” Jason whispered, holding him tightly. “You’re safe now, okay? Nothing’s going to hurt you. You’re safe. It’s all gone.” He pressed his cheek to Vanni’s hair, whispering again, “ _it’s all gone away_.”

Dick’s chest tightened up, hurt- and he led the way, ignored the computer, the file he had opened. They rode up to the manor in silence, entered Dick’s old room, headed right for the bed. Dick tugged the blanket back, as Jason leaned over, laid Vanni down.

He looked like a ragdoll, the way he seemed limp. And Dick- he was _concerned_.

Jason crawled into the bed, and Dick eased in, on Vanni’s other side. The moment they were down, Vanni turned, onto his side, pressed up tight to Jason’s chest with his back. Jason locked an arm around him, nuzzled his hair, and Vanni reached out for Dick. Dick took his hand, felt the kid squeeze his fingers- and in those eyes, there was something, hidden and buried, there was a light. Tired, but _there_.

Vanni was in there. Somewhere.

“Rest, kiddo,” Dick whispered, sliding in closer, so Vanni was sandwiched between them. “When you wake up, we’ll be right here. We’re not going to leave you.”

“Not ever,” Jason whispered, kissed the back of his head. “We love you, little wing.”

There was a ghost of a smile, the faintest curl of his lips- and those dark eyes closed. Dick kept his mouth shut- knew now wasn’t the time. He simply gave Jason a look, one his boyfriend returned- the silent _I love you_ , the silent _I’m terrified_ -

Before closing his own exhausted eyes, and fading out from consciousness.

*

There was nothing at all, when Vanni realized he could _think_. No feeling, no sensation- just a blackness around him, for a few precious seconds, before his body began to respond. He felt the sheet against his arm, the pillow beneath his head. He felt his hair on his cheek, someone’s breath against the back of his head. He felt a weight, over him- an arm, and a hand, on his waist.

He felt a set of walls, warm and comforting, barricading him in.

He gave a small grunt, opened his eyes, blinked the sleep away. Dick was in front of his, his face mashed into his pillow, looking relatively dead to the world- except for the gentle rise and fall of his breaths. He turned, craned his neck to look over his shoulder- and there was Jason.

His dads curled around him like they could keep the world out.

He settled his head back into the pillows, inhaled slowly. He felt… strangely _alright_. His shoulder burned, and his arm stung- and there were bruises, he could feel them- but physically, he wasn’t in bad shape.

He closed his eyes- and there was nothing. Just his eyelids. Just a velvet black. He hadn’t dreamt, hadn’t heard a single whip crack in his nightmares, hadn’t smelled the putrid insides of already dead talons-

Hadn’t felt the handle of a knife in his hands, as it dragged down through thick meat.

There was _none of it_. For the moment.

Vanni sat up then, dislodged his dads’ from him, and reached his arms up, stretching. Ignored the pain in his shoulder for the sweet way his vertebrae shifted in his back. He yawned, made a little noise, and both Jason and Dick were stirring. Dick groaned, muttered out _what fucking time is it_ , before cracking his eyes open and staring at Vanni.

Jason was already sitting up.

“Hi,” he offered, and Vanni looked up at him. He still looked tired- his hair was an utter mess, and his grey eyes seemed _worried_. Vanni reached up, pressed two fingers to the corner of his mouth, tried to force it up into a smile.

“What’s wrong?” He whispered- and his throat felt very raw. He remembered screaming.

“Oh my god,” Dick said, from behind him, “thank _god_ you said something.” Vanni turned, glanced back at him, just as Jason wrapped him up in his arms, nearly smashed him against his chest and squeezed.

“You scared us,” Jason admitted. “Do you remember anything at all?”

Vanni licked his lips. Nodded. He… he remembered a lot. He remembered the tunnels and what he had done to his old cell- remembered all the undead talons, remembered Damian and his friend-

Remembered how he had finally plucked one of the demons straight from his nightmares. And all he felt about it, knowing his hands had shed so much blood- was calm. At peace.

It was _over_ , in his mind. Didn’t matter that the Court was still out there, that you could never rid the world of them. The one thing that had plagued him, the one real, tangible person, was _gone_.

They wouldn’t come for him now. Not yet. Maybe someday, years from now- maybe he’d wake up to a talon smashing in his window. But right now, Vanni felt so strangely secure in the thought that they would leave him be, because he was so _defective_ of what they wanted- that he was simply tranquil.

“I remember,” he whispered, pulling away from Jason, and said, while he signed, “ _I’m okay_.”

Dick and Jason glanced at each other, seemed not convinced.

“Really,” he whispered, “I… feel good.”

“A lot happened,” Jason offered, brushing his long, wild hair back. “A lot of things-”

“I killed a lot of people.” He was signing, as he spoke. His hands moving so quickly that if he hadn’t managed to speak with it, Dick and Jason would be completely lost. “But they were already _dead_. And it felt good… but I’m not afraid.” He sucked on his tongue for a moment, tapped his fingertips together, couldn’t keep them still. “I’m not afraid anymore. They can’t hurt me again.”

Dick reached out, rested his hand on Vanni’s shoulder. “No. Not now, anyway. We’re here.”

“I can protect myself.” Signing, again, as he spoke- and it was more words than he was sure he had ever spoken, in such a short amount of time. But suddenly his mouth was _working_ , his tongue felt loose. “I wasn’t helpless. I won’t ever be again.” He stared up at his dads- and _smiled_. “I’m okay. I’m okay because I took myself _back_.”

Jason and Dick exchanged another glance, before they both smiled at him.

“I don’t think we’ve ever heard you say so much,” Jason offered, and Vanni blushed, ever so lightly.

“But you’re right,” Dick said, “you’re not helpless. You’re a little terrifying, kiddo. It’s impressive.” Vanni _giggled_ at that, and Jason gave his shoulder the gentlest shove.

“You fit into this family just fine,” he said, “We’re all scary. You’re just all that kick assery packed into a small package. But,” Jason gripped his chin very gently, tipped his face up, “if you ever feel like you’re not okay, you can come to us, okay? What you went through… last night and _before_. It was a lot. You’re going to have bad days.”

Vanni nodded. He knew, he didn’t doubt it. He could imagine how all the memories and sensations might flood him, in his dreams, in the dark of night- but it was alright. He’d handle that, when he got there.

“And just promise us something,” Jason added. Vanni glanced up at him. “Last night- it was the last time.”

Vanni _knew_ what he was asking of him. That last night, it had to be the last time he took a life. It had to be the last time- and there was something, in the way Dick looked at Jason, that spoke _volumes_ of _Jason_ being the one to say that.

Vanni nodded slowly. He he could keep that promise- at least, for a time. There would always be exceptions, and as his dads pulled him into another hug, he _knew_ he could never swear it-

Because what if it was their lives, at risk?

*

“Did you two eat?” The question came from Bruce, who was settled at the cave computers, his hair still wet from his shower. Dick and Jason exchanged glances, before shaking their heads.

“We left Vanni to devour your entire kitchen,” Dick said, “said he was hungry. Alfred seemed… thrilled about that, actually.”

“How is he?”

“Shockingly, alright.” Dick shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know how he’s processing everything. He might suddenly not be okay tonight… or a week from now. Or a year. It’ll come eventually, or in pieces- but for the moment, he’s alright. And I couldn’t ask for more.” Bruce nodded, turned back to the computer. “Are the files done?”

“I was just cataloging them.” Dick hopped up onto the counter, while Jason grabbed a chair, wheeled it around and sat down. “I want you to see something.”

He opened a folder, and images began to appear on the screen- large glass tubes, filled with some thick, slightly colored liquid. They were labeled, _G1_ through _G6_ \- each boasting a small clump of _something_ that wasn’t recognizable.

“What is that?” Jason asked, leaning closer- so close his arm brushed against Bruce’s. Neither recoiled.

“The start of the Court’s army,” Bruce muttered. “Or, their _trial_ army, at least.” He had a large window opened as well, words scrawled on the screen. “I’ll save you the trouble, I read it. They didn’t clone you once, Dick… they cloned you six times.”

“ _What_?” Dick teetered, nearly fell off the counter. Bruce reaching for him was the only thing that kept him upright. “Tell me you’re lying.”

“I’m not. Each of these is part of the initial experiment.”

“Where are they all?” Jason asked, looking at Bruce. “Are there five more kids out there, like Vanni?”

Except, there would _never_ be another kid like Vanni. And Dick and Jason both knew it.

“According to the report, experiments G1 and G2 never made it past the first artificial trimester. G3 was self aborted nearly seven months in. G4, G5, and G6 were all delivered- but G5 did not survive the birth.” Bruce glanced at both of them, before, “and they have no real explanation for the passing of G6. Apparently sudden infant death syndrome can strike even clones.”

“So Vanni was the only one to survive?” Bruce nodded, and Dick glanced at the image again, at the glass tube labeled _G4_. Stared at it because that was, once- a very long time ago, the start of the kid who had smiled at him this morning, despite having walked through _hell_ the prior night.

“There’s a lot here,” Bruce offered, “when you have the time… if you two want to read it, it’s always accessible.” He paused, before he cleared his throat. “We should talk about last night.”

“What’s to talk about?” Jason asked. “The fact that we pissed the Court off enough to send out what seemed like their entire inventory of freaky zombies? The fact that we walked out with all their data on this project?”

“The fact that your _son_ over stepped.”

Jason turned, stared at Bruce with hard eyes. “He _killed_ the man who abused him. He put endless scars on my son’s back- goddammit Bruce, we’re damn sure he _raped_ him.” Jason pushed himself up, his chair rolling back, toppling over. “I would’ve done the bastard in myself if I’d gotten the chance.” He squeezed his hands, and his burns ached, from all the shocks he had taken, grasping at the net. Determined to get through. “I would’ve done more than gut him- I would’ve pulled him apart into so many goddamn pieces you wouldn’t even know he was _human_.”

Bruce stared at Jason, his eyes narrowed.

“As far as I’m concerned, my son took back his life by putting _down_ the fucking scum that took it from him. He can’t kill the whole Court, Bruce. He focused his hate. I’m...I’m _proud_ of him. At least, part of me is.” Jason folded his arms, looked away- and Dick knew a part of Jason would _never_ like Bruce’s rules. Would always want to push against them- but he still _listened_.

But in this case? Dick was behind him, too. It was different, when the kid was _his_. Different in a way Dick hadn’t been braced for.

“He promised not to do it again,” Jason added, “so don’t even go on a rant about how he’s going down some goddamn path of destruction. I trust my son- his word is enough for me. Besides, this life,” he waved his hand at the cave, “this isn’t for him. He’s going to have the most normal life we can give him. I’m not letting him fall into this hell.”

Jason turned at that, storming off- and Dick let him go. Didn’t chase after him as he headed for the elevator. Bruce sighed, leaned forward, until his forehead rested against his palm.

“Someday,” Dick said, “You two might have a conversation that ends with you both actually in the same room.”

“I’m not so sure,” Bruce offered, not glancing up. His head was aching- he’d taken his own beating, from his own round of talons, before he’d eventually found the rest of the family- after Colin had _beat_ a hole into the wall, small enough for Damian to slid through and not get electrocuted- so he could get to the switch.

He’d found a frazzled Jason clutching a limp Vanni.

“He is okay though?” He asked, now glancing at Dick, who nodded.

“For the moment, yeah. What about you? In one piece?”

“I guess.”

“Damian? Colin?”

Bruce sighed. “Damian is… not thrilled with me. He _shouldn’t_ have called Colin without consulting us. I know he was helpful, but he put the boy at serious risk- and now we’re going to have to explain this to him. Thankfully, he’s good at keeping his mouth shut.”

“He’s been around enough,” Dick offered, “Don’t be too hard on Damian- it was a solid call. We needed the help.”

“I know,” Bruce admitted, leaning back now, scrubbing his hands over his face. “But now we have to be braced for _their_ retaliation.”

“If there is one.” Bruce glanced at Dick. “Vanni seems to think he’s safe now, that it’s over… what if he’s right? What if it’s just _easier_ for the Court to ignore him? Us? They’ve obviously jumped ship. Vanni doesn’t have much else to give us about them- as far as they’re concerned, maybe cutting their losses is the smart plan.”

Bruce closed his eyes, hummed softly. “Perhaps,” he admitted. “Honestly? I hope so. For everyone’s sake.”

Dick did too- but strangely, he felt like for once, they had finally cut a break.

*

Vanni drank down the tea in his mug without breathing. It was hot, but it soothed how raw it felt. It was gone shortly after Alfred set it in front of him, as the man was working in the kitchen on _breakfast_. Which was honestly, at this point, an early dinner.

Vanni curled up in his chair, licked his lips and smiled because his mouth tasted like green tea. Smiled because it was still light outside and he could see through the large windows across from him.

He was watching the clouds, when he heard a soft footstep. He chose to ignore it, fighting down a smile, until a set of hands suddenly covered his eyes, and a very particular _someone_ was leaning in, whispering _boo_ in his ear. Vanni laughed, reaching up to cover the hands on his eyes, as Damian chuckled. Vanni gave his hands a squeeze before he let go, and Damian was tugging his chair out, so he could turn it, get Vanni to face him.

“Hi,” Vanni said, and it _came with such an ease_. He spread his arms, and Damian took the hint, leaned over and hugged him tightly, got his arms around him-

And then lifted him out of the chair. Vanni’s laughter grew louder, and he threw his arms around Damian’s neck, clinging to him before the other teen let his feet touch the ground.

“You had us all very worried,” Damian said, as Vanni leaned back, studied his face. Those pretty eyes. Vanni wanted to wear them, wear their color. “How are you?”

“Alright,” Vanni said, and held Damian’s gaze. There was a moment where it seemed like Damian might push- but in the end he simply nodded.

“If at some point you are not alright,” he offered, “I’m… here.”

Vanni kept his pretty smile, nodded, before leaning in, pressing a kiss to Damian’s cheek in thanks. Damian blushed, looked almost _alarmed_ , and Vanni couldn’t _help_ himself-

He kissed his cheek again, and then the bridge of his nose, the other cheek, Down towards his chin. Until Damian was laughing and breathy and shoving at him, his cheeks burning.

“What are you doing?” He yelled, as Vanni got his hands in his hair to hold him still, ended with a kiss to the tip of his nose.

“My dads kiss me like this,” he offered, “when they want me to laugh.” Another smile, and Damian just looked at him, before he reached out, got his hands on his waist and _squeezed_. Vanni’s breath caught, and Damian leaned in, was looking at him all serious now, in this weird way that had Vanni’s chest squeezing tight, his stomach knotting and fluttering and-

Suddenly there was a nose being pushed between them, and Titus looked up happily. Vanni smiled, pulling away from Damian to pet the dog, get down on the floor to get his arms around his neck. He rather liked the large lumbering beast, liked him now that Titus seemed to approve of him- since Damian had.

Maybe that was _why_ he liked him.

Damian stared at them for a moment, before he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. When Vanni glanced up, he was still looking at him. The younger quirked up a brow, and Damian glanced away. But the question was there, despite being silent.

“You’re drowning in that shirt,” Damian said, looking back. Vanni looked down- had yet to even pay attention to what he was wearing. His yoga pants, from when they’d first arrived, in the middle of the night- and a red tshirt he didn’t recognize. It was slightly big on him, not like wearing Jason or Dick’s clothing but-

Vanni smiled as he plucked at the collar. “Yours?” He asked, and Damian huffed.

“You very well couldn’t wear something of _father’s_. You would disappear.” Vanni kept his smile though, and Damian tried to scowl. “Why are you _looking at me_ like that?”

Vanni shrugged. “Like it,” he admitted, smoothing his hands down the shirt. “If it’s yours.” Damian simply stared at him, opened his mouth, as if he were going to speak, and then clamped it shut for a moment.

And when he reopened it, he was changing the topic entirely. “I’m sorry about Colin last night. That… was probably not the ideal time to meet him. I will explain to him again that you are not a girl.”

Vanni shrugged a shoulder, honestly didn’t _care_. Didn’t see the difference or the point- if anything, the _pretty_ part would’ve been what stuck out.

“You draw him,” Vanni pointed out- and if Damian could blush more in a single day, Vanni wasn’t sure.

“I… have been around him enough to know his face,” Damian reasoned, “so it is easy.” He fidgeted, and Vanni nodded.

“He is important to you.” Damian didn’t respond, and Vanni didn’t need him to. “I want to meet him again.” _Properly_. 

“-tt- You say that now. You may change your mind after you’re around him five minutes.” Still, Vanni kept his smile- he wanted to meet anyone who made Damian smile, who made him happy. He watched the other teen walk past them, giving Titus a quick pat, before stopping at the table. “I’ll get you more tea,” he said, grabbing his mug, leaving quickly as if he needed to get _away_ , and Vanni didn’t understand why.

He chose not to dwell on it, stood up as Titus lumbered off, just as Jason appeared, walking in quick strides. His face didn’t look pleased, and Vanni opened his mouth to say something- before he was suddenly scooped up, flopped over his father’s shoulder. He squealed, laughed, grasped at Jason’s shirt as the man hugged his legs.

“Have I told you lately you’re a miracle?” He asked, and Vanni grinned, tugged at Jason’s shirt so he could hide his face in it. He missed the way Jason’s smile was a little sad, missed the concern in his eyes. Missed in a split second all the ways Jason knew he could have lost this kid, from last night all the way back to the first moment he was created-

Missed it all, but didn’t miss when Jason flopped him forward, held him like a princess, and kissed the bridge of his nose.

“Is Alfred making you breakfast for dinner?” Vanni nodded, wrapping his arms around Jason’s neck and enjoying the affection. “What do I have to do to get you to share with me?”

Vanni hummed, before he simply hugged his dad, and it was a silent _nothing at all_. Jason continued to cradle him, and Vanni reveled in the fact that he truly felt okay.

Last night had happened. The blood and the terror and the adrenaline- he couldn’t deny it. But it didn’t have to define him, it didn’t have to _be him_. It didn’t have to haunt him, like his past had. He could, finally, lay it to rest.

He was safe. He was away from all of it- in as much totality as he could be. He was _free_ \- and in his dad’s arms, snuggled into Damian’s tshirt- knowing he had _family_ in this house and beyond it, out in the world. Knowing that he didn’t have to be alone.

And he wouldn’t be okay forever- he knew better than to believe that. But he’d take being alright, right then, to offset the future moments where he wouldn’t be.

Because, in the end- it’d be alright. For the first time in his life, Vanni _knew_ it would be.

**Author's Note:**

> Next week's update is coming out a day early! I'll be posting it Friday (4/1) instead of Saturday (4/2), simply because of my work schedule. Expect it sometime in the evening.
> 
> Also, I'll try to make up for the horroshow this update was.


End file.
